This invention relates to manipulating and aligning fibers into an array.
It is often desirable to align multiple fibers into an array of parallel fibers. One method of accomplishing this is to place fibers into parallel grooves that have been formed in the surface of a substrate. Typically, the placement of the fibers into the grooves is performed manually and requires careful and precise operations by skilled operators. In some cases, it is desirable to align multiple xe2x80x9cetchedxe2x80x9d fibers, i.e., fibers that have been stripped of their outer protective coatings and then etched to reduce the outer diameter of the fiber.
According to an aspect of this invention a method of aligning fibers on a substrate includes placing a grooved substrate on a base proximate to an opening formed through a top surface of the base flowing air through the opening to draw the plurality of fibers down towards the top surface of the substrate or base, placing a plurality of fibers to extend over the substrate and over the opening and bonding the plurality of fibers to the substrate or base.
One or more of the following features may also be included. The base may include a substrate holding area formed in the top surface of the base and proximate to the opening, and wherein said placing a substrate on a base further includes placing the substrate within the substrate holding area. The substrate may include a first plurality of grooves formed in a top surface of the substrate and wherein said placing a plurality of fibers further includes placing one of the plurality of fibers within one of the first plurality of grooves. The opening may be horizontally longer in a first dimension than a second dimension relative to the top surface of the base, and wherein said placing the substrate within the substrate holding area further includes placing the substrate proximate to a side of the opening of the first dimension, wherein the first plurality of grooves are substantially perpendicular to the side of the first dimension. The base may include a second plurality of grooves formed in the first surface of said base that are spaced from the substrate holding area, wherein the second plurality of grooves are in substantial alignment with the first plurality of grooves in the top surface of the substrate, and wherein said placing one of the plurality of fibers further includes placing a first section of one of the plurality of fibers within one of the first plurality of grooves formed in the top surface of the substrate and placing a second section of the same one of the plurality of fibers within a corresponding one of the second plurality of grooves formed in the first surface of the base. The substrate may include a second plurality of grooves formed in the top surface of the substrate that are spaced from the first plurality of grooves, wherein the second plurality of grooves are in substantial alignment with the first plurality of grooves, and wherein said placing one of the plurality of fibers further includes placing a first section of one of the plurality of fibers within one of the first plurality of grooves and placing a second section of the same one of the plurality of fibers within a corresponding one of the second plurality of grooves formed in the top surface of the substrate. The method may further include applying a bonding material on the plurality of fibers and placing a holding cap in contact with the bonding material.
According to a further aspect of this invention, a method of aligning fibers includes placing a plurality of fibers on a base to extend over an opening formed through a top surface of the base, flowing air through the opening to draw the plurality of fibers down towards the top surface of the base, positioning each of the plurality of fibers in substantial alignment; and transferring the plurality of fibers to a substrate.
One or more of the following features may also be included. The base may include a first plurality of grooves formed in the top surface proximate to the opening, said method further including placing one of the plurality of fibers within one of the first plurality of grooves. The opening may be horizontally longer in a first dimension than a second dimension relative to the top surface of the base, and wherein said placing a plurality of fibers further includes placing the plurality of fibers substantially perpendicular to a side of the opening of the first dimension. The base may include a second plurality of grooves formed in the first surface that are spaced from the first plurality of grooves, and wherein said placing one of the plurality of fibers further includes placing a first section of one of the plurality of fibers within one of the first plurality of grooves and placing a second section of the same one of the plurality of fibers within a corresponding one of the second plurality of grooves. The method of transferring may further include positioning a first surface of a substrate to contact the plurality of fibers, wherein the first surface of the substrate has a bonding material applied to contact the plurality of fibers. The base may include a plunger slidably coupled to the base, and wherein said transferring the plurality of fibers to a substrate further includes sliding the plunger to contact one of the plurality of fibers and the substrate.
According to a further aspect of this invention an apparatus for aligning fibers on a substrate, the apparatus including a base having a first opening through a top surface, said base having a substrate holding area formed in the top surface of said base proximate to the first opening and a substrate held within the substrate holding area, said substrate having a first plurality of aligned grooves formed in a top surface of the substrate. One or more of the following features may also be included. The first opening may connect to a second opening formed in a second surface of said base. The first opening may be horizontally longer in a first dimension than a second dimension relative to the top surface of said base, and the first plurality of grooves in said substrate are substantially perpendicular to a side of the first opening of the first dimension. The base may include a second plurality of grooves formed in the top surface of said base and spaced away from the substrate holding area, and the second plurality of grooves are in substantial alignment with the first plurality of grooves in the substrate. The spacing between each of the first plurality of grooves may be less than the spacing between each of the second plurality of grooves. The substrate may include a second plurality of grooves formed in the top surface and spaced away from the first set of grooves, and the second plurality of grooves are in substantial alignment with the first plurality of grooves. The spacing between each of the first plurality of grooves may be less than the spacing between each of the second plurality of grooves.
Embodiments of the invention may have one or more of the following advantages. For example, they enable an operator to quickly and easily align a set of fibers on a substrate using the forces associated with a flow of air. They also enable an operator to align fibers with a minimal amount of handling which reduces the possibility of damage to individual fibers. Moreover, by using the fixture and methods of the invention, the forces associated with a flow of air can be used to hold a set of fibers against a substrate, after the fibers are aligned, and allow an application of bonding material to all of the fibers simultaneously, that is, without requiring tacking or bonding of individual fibers as they are placed. Furthermore, some of the embodiments allow for aligning a set of etched fibers into a xe2x80x9cfan-outxe2x80x9d pattern, i.e., placing a set of etched fiber ends within a set of narrowly-spaced grooves formed in a substrate, and positioning the larger diameter sections of the same set of fibers into a more widely-spaced pattern in an area away from the grooves. The airflow fixture itself may be used to align a set of fibers, using the forces associated with a flow of air, with a transfer of the aligned fibers to a substrate following the alignment.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.